The State Bank of India (SBI) has moved an application in the district court of Chandigarh, seeking registration of an FIR against six persons for allegedly committing a loan fraud worth Rs 78 lakh. The loans were allegedly granted through Bhartiya Mahila Bank (BMB), which in April 2017 merged with the SBI. The case is scheduled for hearing on February 15. Advertising The application has been moved in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Varun Nagpal under Section 156(3) of Criminal Procedure Code. The Chandigarh Police, meanwhile, has filed a reply stating that the case will be investigated by Economic Offences Wing. The SBI has sought FIR against suspended branch manager of BMB Manish Kumar Rajak, gramin micro finance employees Usha Rani, Ram Kumar and Munish Kumar Bharadwaj, Branch Manager of BMB Chander Pandey and Proprietor of Gramin India Micro Finance H M Cheema. In the application, the SBI branch of Sector 26, through its manager, Tara Chand, has said that on April 6, 2017, the BMB branch of Sector 26 had merged with them. It has been alleged that 224 mudra loans were sanctioned in the BMB, Sector 26, branch during the period 2014-2016 and out of these, some turned out to be bad and classified as NPA (Non-performing Asset). When all the customers, who were granted loan, were approached for recovery, it was learnt that they had taken loans with the help of Rajak and Usha Rani. Advocate Davinder Singh Soundh, counsel for the SBI, said that some customers gave in writing to the bank that they have obtained the loan with the help of accused Usha Rani, Pandey, Kumar, Cheema and Kumar and even they have recovered the amount from them in installments. But, the SBI found that the amount was not deposited further with it. The SBI has also learnt that from the customers that they have received less money than the sanctioned amount of loan and remaining was deducted by them on the pretext of file charges at the time of disbursement of the loan amount. The repayment of the loan was done through the accused under the name of Gramin India Micro Finance Foundation. In 15 mudra loans sanctioned during 2014-2016, address mentioned as per KYC (Know Your Customer) documents, submitted by the borrower, is of Nehru Colony, Kajheri, which was dismantled in 2014 by Municipal Corporation Chandigarh. Despite of the fact, these loans got sanctioned from the BMB Sector 26, Chandigarh. Advertising Advocate Soundh told that the bank has conducted a departmental inquiry and thus suspended Rajak and Rani. For further action, a formal complaint was registered at Sector 26 police station, however, the police allegedly did not take any action, following which the SBI had to approach the court.

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